Wedding Photography Styles: Why Your Style Matters More to Your Clients Than to You

My Music Photography Days: No Style Required?

Before I shot weddings, I spent over a decade as a music photographer. Not once in that entire time did anyone ask me what kind of “style” I had. 

But, that kind of career didn’t require mass marketing. It relied on relationships, consistency, and working within a small, defined circle.

Weddings couldn’t be more different.

As wedding photographers, we’re marketing ourselves to a vast and diverse audience of potential clients. People planning their first and hopefully only wedding. People who may be overwhelmed, anxious, time-poor, and just trying to make good choices.

This is where style becomes less about artistic identity and more about marketing clarity.

Why Defining Your Style Helps Your Clients (and You)

Wedding planning can quickly turn into decision fatigue. Couples are bombarded with inspiration, trends, and endless choices, especially when searching for a photographer. A clearly defined style becomes a helpful shortcut in a saturated market.

Terms like Documentary, Fine Art, Editorial, and Cinematic become filters – helping couples narrow their options and gravitate toward what resonates.

That’s why I now describe myself as an Editorial Wedding Photographer.

Does that mean I only shoot editorial-style images? Not at all. Most of the day I work in a documentary way, capturing natural interaction and spontaneous energy. But I bring an editorial mindset to portraits and details. I add a touch of styling and storytelling when it enhances the image.

I use “editorial” as a lead-in a shorthand to attract the right kind of clients. Those who appreciate fashion references, aesthetics, and a slightly elevated approach to portraits. Once they’re in my world, I show them the breadth of what I do. But I lead with a style label that feels true – because it opens the door.

Mismatched Clients? That’s a Style Clue.

In the past, I’ve had periods where I attracted clients who said they loved how “natural” my work looked. They didn’t want posed shots or any interaction with the camera. They imagined me being a fly on the wall.

That’s not me.

I don’t shoot from the outside in I shoot from within the day. I like connection. I believe a little orchestration goes a long way. So while my images might feel natural, they’re often guided.

That mismatch was a red flag. Not for them but for my marketing. It told me I wasn’t expressing my style clearly enough. I wasn’t helping people self-select. Since refining how I talk about my work, those kinds of mismatches have all but disappeared.